Palo Alto Weekly

Obituaries

Albert Cohen

Albert Cohen, the William H. Bonsall professor emeritus of music and former chair of Stanford University's Department of Music, died of complications from end-stage Parkinson's disease on Dec. 31. He was 90.

Born in the Bronx, New York, on Nov. 16, 1929, and raised in Brooklyn, he received a bachelor's degree in violin from The Juilliard School in 1951. But his interest in the music of the early Baroque led him to pursue a career in musicology, which he studied at New York University, earning his master's degree in 1953 and doctorate in 1959.

He taught at the University of Michigan and was the chair of the music department at State University of New York, Buffalo. In 1973, he moved to Stanford University and was the chair of the department of music, where he was instrumental in the launch of the Braun Music Center, which opened in 1984. In 1982, he developed the Lully Archive, which is dedicated for the study of 17th century French-Italian composer Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Throughout his career, he authored many scholarly articles and books including "Music in the French Royal Academy of Sciences: A Study in the Evolution of Musical Thought," which examines French social and cultural history as Europe approached the Age of Enlightenment. He won many awards recognizing his scholarly achievements such as a Guggenheim fellowship, a Fulbright grant and several grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Betty Joan Berg Cohen of Stanford; son, Stefan Berg Cohen of Berkeley; brother, Barry Cohen of New York City; sister, Regina Orloff of Santa Barbara; and two grandsons.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held in the spring.

Barbara Ellen Wear Schwartz Kliner

Barbara Ellen "Lynne" Wear Schwartz Kliner, a Palo Alto resident of more than seven decades, died on Dec. 27. She was 100.

Born on Jan. 15, 1919, to Alyce Taylor Wear and Fred Ellis Wear, she enrolled at Stanford University but transferred to University of Washington, where she studied for one year. She returned to Stanford to receive her bachelor's degree in political science. She also pursued a master's degree at George Washington University and completed a flight training program. To seek more intensive training, she transferred to the University of Maryland. There, she met Phil Schwartz and married him soon after.

In 1945, the couple moved to Bay Road in Menlo Park. Several years later, they adopted Eric "Rick" James from an orphanage in Chicago, and they adopted a girl, Aria "Stacey", a year and a half later from the same orphanage. The family then moved to Palo Alto and purchased a home on Garland Drive.

In 1993, her husband died of cancer. To deal with the loss, she attended a hospice bereavement group. There, she met Fred Kliner in 1994, whose wife died around the same time as Schwartz, and married him soon after.

She was also devoted to her community, working with the Peninsula Volunteers Inc. for over six decades and serving as its board president for six years.

Predeceased by her first husband, Phil Schwartz, who died in 1993; second husband, Fred Kliner, who died in 2008; son, Rick, who died Dec. 26, 2002; daughter, Stacey, she is survived by her daughter-in-law, Faeli Vyn of Palo Alto; two stepdaughters: Virginia Fowkes of La Honda and Beverly Abbot of Woodside; cousin Susan De Bendetti Haller of San Jose; four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Richard Furni Shirley

Richard Furni Shirley, an artist and Palo Alto resident of nearly 50 years, died after a stroke on Nov. 20. He was 72.

Born on Nov. 6, 1947, in St. Paul, Minnesota, he moved to the Bay Area when he was 6 years old and came to Palo Alto in 1960. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1965 and received his bachelor of fine arts degree from San Jose State University.

He was a devoted artist, working with clay for his medium. He made large vases with lizards as a common motif and other sculptures.

"He had a great sense of humor and a generous spirit, which his friends and family will miss," his family said.

Predeceased by his parents, Richard and Hortense Shirley, he is survived by his daughter, Trandalyn Hallesy of Menlo Park; his sister, Bonnie Shirley of Palo Alto; and two grandsons.

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